


After the Fact

by Lavenderbirchtrees



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Gen, Grindcore, One Shot, The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye (IDW), Time Travel, edgy nihilism, tarn is a general shithead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23822152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavenderbirchtrees/pseuds/Lavenderbirchtrees
Summary: Brainstorm has a quick chat with his boss, and goes as well as any meeting with a Decepticon. In a strange way, it becomes a testament to his own creation.
Relationships: Brainstorm/Quark (Transformers)
Kudos: 7





	After the Fact

Lying to the Decepticon Justice Division was an impressive feat to any faction of the war, one that Brainstorm never thought he would live to tell. Brainstorm followed his boss to his office as he’d been summoned to give him his plans of locating Overlord or so he’d been told. He wasn't oblivious to the rumors of what his boss had done to Autobots who had the nerve to waltz over to the side of the Decpticons, or worse. His own fellow soldier. If there was anything Brainstorm hated, it was uncertainty. 

Being wound up in his own thoughts he nearly bumped into the more imposing force. However, he stopped before him to avoid a quick death sentence. The mech had opened the door and bowed gracefully towards Brainstorm, he could only take a second to revel in his own shock before letting himself in the office. It was the opposite of what he’d expected, part of him thought it would be a torture chamber with cadavers scattered about. Rather, it was a modest, yet sleek office with datapads towing atop his desk and “trophies” of his Boss. Frankly, the torture chamber would have been the better option as his superior's optics pierced into his spark. His optics traveled across the room to think of a proper conversation starter. Finally, he spoke. 

“Nice digs you got here. You ‘cons certainly have expensive taste.”

Brainstorm complimented. Something in him screamed his response had been the wrong answer. However, the intimidating mech let out a scratchy chuckle banging his hand on his desk. He didn’t know what to make of it. The boss’ voice was as soft as silverware against a plate with an eerie sing-song quality to it.

“Now that's what I admire about you, your forwardness on any subject, but there is no need for such formality. I’m quite proud of my title so please, refer to me as Tarn.” 

Tarn offered his hand to Brainstorm, after a moment's hesitation he took it wearily. Tarn gracefully dragged him to the window of his office, let go, and beckoned him to take a view of Grindcore. Though it wasn’t in its operative hours, the red haze overtook the facility, the lights of the buildings oozing out, with the occasional guard standing post. He couldn’t fathom what sort of misery the prisoners were in, Tarn, however, held his gaze to the outside world prideful as ever. It revolted him.

“I believe we are on equal footing my esteemed friend, shall I call you that?” He crooned.

“Call me as you please.” Brainstorm said matter-of-factly. He huffed as he made a vague motion with his servo to continue. “So long as I get my fill as the Con’s best, let's call it, invisible engineer, I’ll be fine, not like I have any competition here. You don’t see any other science bots crawling to join the Decepticons.... So it looks like I’m your best bet.” 

Tarn stood unmoving in his position and carried on.

“Much like you, I too consider myself as an innovator such yourself.”

“How so?” he mused. You’re just an over glorified sadist. He thought to himself.

“The idea that there are many bots that believe they can cheat death by willful surrender and peace treaties. The fact of the matter is, death is inevitable and simply puts an end to this meaningless abyss we call our lives. I am an innovator in the aspect of how I can make Individuals suffer as I did, watching them waste their untapped potential.” 

He declared with a harrowing sorrow, hearing these words from Tarn almost shocked him. There began a rise in his voice once more.

“I see you suffer as well, one who even makes his own peers marvel at his creations and yet…” He trailed off. “You have been limited by them haven’t you? Now. It seems that you have always been doubted even by those who you consider closest. Wouldn’t you agree? Does a certain microscope come to mind?”

Brainstorm’s gut plummeted. He couldn’t have meant who he was thinking of. His words caught in his throat as he tried to follow up with a proper response. Tarn raised an eyebrow ridge and glowered suspiciously at the shorter mech.

“The red one. I hear of your distaste of him quite often.” With a curious venom in his voice.

“Right.” Brainstorm conceded. He met Tarn's gaze, tilting his head on occasion as he spoke. “Strangely enough, I looked up to him at some point. Who wouldn’t? He was the scientist. Until he decided science was too trivial for the greater good, now he’s fighting someone else's war and I’ve moved on. I've got better things to be doing.” 

There was a bitterness to his tone, what he said had been true to an extent and he would have elaborated if it had been someone else. Tarn took him by surprise as he took his shoulder and began to close the gap between the two in an discomforting closeness. 

“But, it is individuals like yourself that assign meaning to this life. You are Brainstorm the brilliant inventor! You’ve not only perfected your own art, but transcended those above you . Not any ordinary person can do that.”

He tilted his head to the side, awaiting a response from Brainstorm. Tarn had hoped talking him up would do him some good before he would proceed with his next move. He had to admit, trying to find a weakness to the physicist would prove difficult, but the hesitance from his response would confirm a possible theory. It was clear he had struck a nerve to the egotistical bot, even if it hadn’t been one he anticipated.

“I’m a household name for more or less favorable things. Nevertheless I take pride in it ” Brainstorm responded, playing on his own pride, however his own pride would soon end as Tarn had a devilish look in his optics. 

“As one innovator to another, I should hope you will relinquish my own accomplishments.”

Tarn proceeded to describe the events at Grindcore in excruciating detail, of all the deaths, the names of the victims and of the most recent deaths in Grindcore. Brainstorm felt nauseous, though his mask proved to be helpful in hiding his expressions he remained with a hardened face in hopes that Tarn wouldn’t see through him. As if Tarn picked up on Brainstorm’s discomfort he continued on, making sure to announce each word with a sickening glee to dampen his ego and to rid any notion of betrayal. 

“Anyone would say how grotesque the situation is but once again you had exceeded my expectations. You managed to keep composure and not once wince at anything that I’ve uttered. You have the makings for a great Decepticon. Perhaps you could one day-”

A beeping had cut Tarn off, with a couple nods and a seeming sigh he relented. 

“My deepest apologies to you, my esteemed guest but I must be on my way. Stay put here until I make my return. ” 

Tarn disappeared into the shadow of the corridor as he stalked out the door, footsteps training away. If he had stayed in the room any longer it would have suffocated Brainstorm, but now that Tarn left he could breathe a bit easier. He didn’t know what to feel first, whatever he felt, he couldn’t bring himself to cry but managed to let out a long drawn out ex-vent.

Brainstorm looked longingly at his suitcase as if it held an answer to the question he’d occasionally found himself asking. Would bending the time continuum mend a relationship he wasn’t even certain of? He approached his creation and knelt down to run his digit across the locks feeling each ridge they formed, something he did to soothe himself when he began to have second thoughts. He had to prove Tarn wrong, that he could help somebody to cheat death possibly to spite him. He finally shook his head, even if he saw Quark for just one more time it would mean all the world to him, and perhaps to Quark too. After all, he had one last mystery he wanted to solve with Quark, as a lover or a friend. 

That much, he promised.

**Author's Note:**

> I debated on posting this, mainly because I have no respect for Tarn stans and I fear they'll miss the point of him talking up Brainstorm. But if it isn't' clear enough, Tarn is Not a Good Person. Anyways, Brainstorm must have had to been extremely careful not to be noticed by Megatron And Stay on The DJD's good side.


End file.
